First 'dangerous day' toll higher than last year's
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FIFTY-EIGHT people were killed and 517 others injured in 508 road accidents nationwide on Tuesday, the first day of the New Year holiday period, the Road Safety Centre reported yesterday.
Chiang Mai and Surat Thani had the most accidents at 23 cases each, Buri Ram had the most deaths at six and Surat Thani had the most injuries at 23.
The figures rose from the previous New Year period’s first day (December 27, 2013), which saw 39 deaths and 399 injuries in 392 road accidents.
Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the major contributing factor on Tuesday was drunk driving, at 36.61 per cent, followed by speeding at 23.82 per cent, and that most accidents involved motorcycles, at 82.41 per cent.
More than half (58.86 per cent) of the accidents took place on straight sections of road, he said. Most accidents occurred between 4pm and 8pm (34.84 per cent). More than half of the victims (51.83 per cent) were of working age.
The 2,243 main checkpoints manned by 64,505 officers stopped 531,490 vehicles and initiated legal actions against 76,168 motorists, most of whom were accused of failing to wear a motorcycle helmet or failing to present a driver’s licence, Arkhom said. The Road Safety Centre, under the Interior Ministry’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, is working with provincial authorities to enforce laws against such risky behaviour as drunk driving and speeding, especially on primary and secondary roads, as well as at accident-prone spots and areas surrounding fairs or tourist attractions.
The government is also working with various organisations to provide security and convenience for holidaymakers, Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Yongyut Maiyalap said via the Government House website yesterday.
Commuters leaving Bangkok via the No 7 motorway (Bangkok-Chon Buri) and No 9 (Bang Pa-in-Bang Pli) are now exempted from tolls until midnight of January 4, he said.
Transport Co has set aside 10 women-only seats in the front of buses going to Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon. The State Railway of Thailand has also installed closed-circuit cameras on trains bound for Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani, in compartments reserved for female passengers. Thai Airways International has increased its luggage weight limit by 10 kilograms for all destinations except the US.
